Chapter 15: A Delicate Flower

Chapter 15: A Delicate Flower

Shen Yanchuan eventually bought the lantern.

Bathed in its soft glow, he truly looked like a gentleman carved from jade.

The streets remained bustling, but Shen Yanchuan seemed somewhat weary, carrying the lantern as he headed back.

As he passed through a small alley, the noise of the crowd gradually faded away.

Just as he turned a corner, a sound of something piercing the air suddenly rang out!

Lian Zhou’s heart tightened, and he drew his sword instantly!

*Clang!*

A sharp metallic clash echoed, sounding jarringly abrupt in the quiet corner.

Shen Yanchuan stood still, lowering his gaze to look at the ground.

It was a steel nail, about an inch long. It had flown with such immense speed that had it struck, it would likely have embedded itself directly into the bone.

The moon was now high in the west, casting a cold, pale light. The steel nail reflected a faint, eerie glint that sent a chill down one’s spine.

Shen Yanchuan’s lips curled slightly.

"You’ve certainly gone to great lengths, chasing me all the way from Huizhou to here."

Several figures appeared silently. Each was lean and sturdy, wearing bamboo hats that obscured their faces.

The leader let out a cold scoff, his voice deep, harsh, and raspy.

"You’ve got a tough life!"

Last time, Shen Yanchuan had narrowly escaped, but he had been severely wounded. They had all assumed he was a dead man; who would have thought he was still alive!

Shen Yanchuan smiled faintly. "I must thank your men for showing mercy."

The leader’s heart sank upon hearing this.

The poison Shen Yanchuan had been struck with last time, according to that person, was supposed to be incurable.

He had suffered two major injuries, and the toxins had seeped deep into his organs—there should have been no possibility of survival!

Yet now, Shen Yanchuan was standing right before them, perfectly fine!

They had previously suspected an inside job, that someone had swapped the poison, allowing Shen Yanchuan to escape death. Hearing him say this now only made them more uneasy.

The leader snorted coldly. "Do you think I’ll believe whatever you say? Stop trying to sow discord! Instead of wasting time, you’d better think about how you’re going to die tonight!"

Shen Yanchuan seemed entirely unconcerned by his words, merely smiling calmly. "Just a joke, why so serious? Or is it that one of you really has turned traitor?"

His tone was light and airy, as if he were merely chatting with an old acquaintance.

Yet, every word he spoke felt like a stone lodged in their chests—neither up nor down, causing extreme discomfort.

There had long been rumors that this Shen Yanchuan was unfathomably deep and unpredictable; seeing him today, it was indeed true!

His words were a mix of truth and falsehood, making them impossible to judge.

It was better to end this quickly!

The leader was unwilling to continue sparring with Shen Yanchuan.

"Rumor has it that the seven lords of the Black Cavalry Guards are all formidable in martial arts. Now that only one is left by your side, I’d like to see how he fares against so many!"

Lian Zhou’s grip on his sword tightened, a cold glint rising in his eyes.

His aura had shifted the moment he saw these men, faintly revealing a bloody, ferocious intent.

It was the first time these men had faced Lian Zhou head-on, and seeing this, they felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

They clearly had the advantage in numbers, but...

Shen Yanchuan suddenly asked, "Have you ever wondered why it is Lian Zhou who remains by my side?"

The men were momentarily stunned by the question.

But before they could react, Lian Zhou’s figure had already vanished from where he stood!

"If you want to touch my master, ask the sword in my hand if it agrees first!"

...

Swords flashed and shadows danced, the cold wind howling.

Shen Yanchuan stood where he was, waiting quietly, even feeling a bit bored.

Suddenly, he seemed to hear something and tilted his head slightly to the right.

Separated by a wall, faint movements could be heard.

It sounded like someone was fighting.

Shen Yanchuan raised an eyebrow, finding it interesting.

He had specifically chosen this secluded spot, never expecting someone else to have the same idea.

After listening for a moment, Shen Yanchuan had a rough estimate of the situation over there.

Three against one, and the side with fewer people was the more formidable one—coincidentally the same situation as his own.

But there were clearly five people over there. Besides the four fighting, there was another whose breathing was light and shallow, sounding remarkably like a young child.

...Who in their right mind gets into a street brawl in front of a child?

Shen Yanchuan felt this person lacked a certain sense of propriety.

However, it was someone else’s business, and he couldn't be bothered.

Shen Yanchuan looked up at the sky.

The moon was hanging over the willow branches; he needed to hurry. If they didn't return to the medical clinic before the Spring Lantern Festival ended, it would inevitably invite suspicion.

Better to avoid unnecessary trouble—*Bang!*

A dull thud suddenly came from the other side of the wall, followed by a groan of pain.

"Hiss... ugh..."

*Bang!*

Another sound.

The man’s voice diminished significantly, barely audible through the wall.

Shen Yanchuan’s brow twitched.

This person was quite decisive; they were likely slamming the opponent against the wall, not wasting any time at all.

The noise over there soon ceased; it seemed the matter was resolved.

That was fast.

As Shen Yanchuan thought this, the next second, he heard a gentle, clear, and calm girl’s voice.

"Now, can you talk?"

A strange look flashed in Shen Yanchuan’s eyes.

Ye Chutang?

...

On this side, the three men who had intended to attack Ye Chutang were all lying on the ground. Two were knocked unconscious, and the remaining one, face covered in blood and sporting several large bumps on his head, knelt down in sheer terror, clutching his own head.

"I—I really was just paid to do a job! The person that day wore a mask, I don’t know them, I really don’t!"

Ye Chutang took out a handkerchief, wiped her hands in a leisurely manner, and looked down at him from above.

"Is that so?"

Her tone was extremely light, as if she were asking a casual question, yet to the listener’s ears, it carried an inexplicable, chilling sense of dread.

The man had never imagined before coming here that a group of grown men working together wouldn't be able to defeat a weak girl of seventeen or eighteen!

He kowtowed frantically, begging for mercy: "Please! Spare our lives! We—"

Ye Chutang smiled. "I’m easy to talk to, after all, murder is against the law. But if you go back tonight, can you really keep your lives? Cao Chengwen doesn't seem like the type who’s easy to talk to, does he?"

The man blurted out, "He won't! He said whether the job was done or not, the money would be—"

His voice cut off abruptly, his face turning deathly pale.

Ye Chutang nodded in realization. "So it really was him."

She wasn't surprised by this result; after all, he was the only person she had recently made an enemy of.

The man realized he had leaked the identity and trembled like chaff in the wind.

Ye Chutang had easily extracted the answer, but she didn't feel particularly happy; instead, she felt a bit regretful.

"What a pity..."

She had thought it was...

The man, of course, didn't understand what she meant by "what a pity," and couldn't utter another word.

Ye Chutang stepped forward and delivered a sharp chop to his neck, knocking him completely unconscious.

Only then did she look toward the left and ask through the wall, "Has Master Shen heard enough?"

After a brief silence, footsteps approached.

A tall, upright figure appeared at the corner.

Dressed in moon-white silk robes, he was a peerless gentleman.

The two locked eyes, and an undercurrent seemed to surge between them.

Shen Yanchuan acted as if he didn't see the blood on the ground or the three unconscious men, taking the initiative to speak with a faint smile: "Dr. Ye has impressive skills, though it would be best to be a bit gentler next time, after all—" the child is still here.

Ye Chutang’s dark, gentle eyes looked at him quietly, and she nodded earnestly.

"I understand. I will be sure to be careful next time, so as not to frighten Master Shen."

Shen Yanchuan’s smile stiffened slightly.